Once the switch was flipped, there was no stopping Malek. Already an executioner, but reborn as a hellhound. Knocking that switch back into its place must be tough as fuckfor him. I’m starting to wonder if this is what’s happening to me. Once reborn…isthere a way back to the person we used to be? It’s something I’m gonna have to really dig into, because I’m kicking rocks off the edge of this cliff. There’s no doubt, I’ll jump for her. I just wonder if she’ll want me once I’m someone else.
I’ve picked absentmindedly at the tear on my center console, waiting for them to come out of that nail spa, just to watch them both go straight into a cupcake shop. See? Told you it isn’t always fun. Now I want a fucking cupcake.
Once Bridget finally said her goodbyes, I watched Sev for a minute. I see it now. She plays it off really well, but it’s all over her face and in her body language. They’re going through something and it’s bothering them both a lot. The minute she turned away from Bridge, her expression sank and her shoulders slumped. I got outta the car, committing to getting me a cupcake or two, and saw Seven drive off. Halfway across the street, and I nearly lost my wits when gunshots rang out—fromBridget’s parking lot.
“No!Fuck!”
I hauled ass, as did several others startled by the noise, across the road, dodging honking cars and screeching tires, until I made it around the side of the building where the nail salon is. Bridget was crouched down, unhurt and dumbfounded…and I spotted him. I felt it like a rubber band in my chest. Like the last few fibers of an unraveling lifeline.
I fucking snapped.
My legs took on a life of their own and she didn’t even notice me as I went straightforthe bastard. He ran one way, I ran the other, skirting down a back alley that led me right to where hethoughthe was about to hop on a waiting motorcycle and disappear. I grabbed the first solid thing I could find and stepped into his way, just as he cleared the corner…and I swung. Metal sang and his fuckboy head rocked to the side before hehit the ground like a sack of Irish taters. I grabbed his feet and dragged him out of sight, next to a dumpster in the alleyway, and ripped his ski mask off. He’s out cold. I checked his pockets, finding nothing. No wallet, no license. Nothing but the gun that almost took my girl, stashed in the back of his jeans. I tossed what was in my hand, realizing I’d hit the fucker with the remnants of a fire escape ladder, and immediately dialed Mal.
“I’m good, I found—”
“Malek…meet me at the storage unit. I’ve got a fresh one that just tried to kill Bridget.”
That silent handful of seconds, I knew, was the last bit of effort Malek had at trying to be an Average Joe. The killer in him is yawning and stretching.“I beg your fucking pardon, mate?”
“Seven’s fine. She left just a few minutes before, but whoever this is, was after Bridge in the parking lot. He shot at her. She’s fine, but she—” Squealing tires distracted me and I looked up to see her car flying past the alley I was hiding in, off to God knows where.
“She what?”
“She’s on the move. She didn’t wait for police. I just saw her burn rubber.”
“Kill the fucker!”
“No. Not until I find out who the fuck he is and why he’s after her. He’s out. I’m taking him to the locker, and he’ll bleed until he fucking talks.” I grabbed a fistful of his dark hair and turned his face from side to side to see if I recognized him at all.
“I’m not far. I’m gonna make sure Sev gets home and check the place. I’ll meet you there in thirty. Find out where she’s goin’, Dec. He dies tonight.”
“On it.”
Cold dumplings were sitting in Dan’s lap when I lifted the door to the storage unit, and he looked at me stunned for a minute. He’s about to be a lot more stunned. He had one between two chopsticks paused at his mouth as I tried to reel in my rage.
“Did you want me to leave? I can go.”
“Nah, mate. But if you stay, I’m warning you now…you’re about to see why that hoodie I was wearing was relevant.” Call me crazy, but I swear I see a look of understanding on his haggard face.
“Lemme help.”
I nodded once, and he hopped up from the cot to follow me out the door. I was hesitant to pop the trunk open, but he didn’t even balk when I finally did and he saw a body tied up inside it. We both took sides and hauled his sorry arse into the unit, lowering the door behind us. The bloke started to wake when we tossed him onto the concrete floor. Dan parked his hands on his hips and stared down at him.
“He’s not dead. You wanna interrogate him.”
“Yep,” I grunted, clearing a space in the corner. “And it ain’t gonna be pretty. He just tried to off my lassie.” When I looked over my shoulder, Dan was flipping the guy over and checking his arms and hands.
“Well, he’s Russian for one thing. Affiliated for another.”
I slowly turned and crossed my arms. “How the hell do you know that?”
Dan glanced up at me while he pointed at a small tattoo on the fucker’s bound hand. “Look familiar? I might be unfortunate, but I’m not stupid. You’ve got one too…just different clans. I recognize this, I just don’t know exactly which one he’s part of.”
Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off the floor.
“What kind of area were youinover there, Dan the man?”
“Intelligence. Specifically, terrorism.”
